


Lean on Me

by aleksrothis



Category: Star Wars Legends: X-Wing Series - Aaron Allston & Michael Stackpole
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Guilt, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Yuletide Treat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:48:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28297029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aleksrothis/pseuds/aleksrothis
Summary: In the aftermath of the Jussafet mission and Tal'dira's death, Tycho and Corran find comfort in each other
Relationships: Tycho Celchu/Corran Horn
Comments: 6
Kudos: 7
Collections: Yuletide 2020





	Lean on Me

**Author's Note:**

  * For [icandrawamoth](https://archiveofourown.org/users/icandrawamoth/gifts).



Tycho is still reeling from the day's events as the squadron goes through their debrief. Corran is blank-faced as he gives his report, plain, unembellished, but Tycho can tell that his stoic expression is a front. He wishes he could reassure Corran; it wasn't as though anyone thought there was anything else he could've done.

There's going to have to be a full investigation but they had all seen what happened and, since Tal'dira was transmitting on an open channel, they had all heard his tirade.

Wedge has to leave to deal with the bigger picture - with three simultaneous attacks it can't just be coincidence - which leaves Tycho filling out the necessary paperwork from the actual mission and promising himself he'll speak to Corran at dinner. But Corran doesn't show up to the mess.

Tycho eats quickly, keeping his distance from the Wraiths comforting Tyria Sarkin, from the Polearm pilots reeling from Nuro Tualin's death and betrayal. The other Rogues are quiet but they've faced death before, and they're sadly familiar with betrayal after Erisi Dlarit's treachery. No-one stops him as he leaves to confront Corran. Tycho knows they'll rally around each other, including Corran when he's ready to accept it.

Corran has always been self contained. Tycho knows Corran's done things he regretted but haven't they all? And there are things Corran doesn't talk about that he did in the years between leaving CorSec and joining the Rebellion. So Tycho's prepared to have to draw him out.

He knocks and waits. He hears movement inside the room but for a long moment Tycho thinks he's going to have to use his security override and hope Corran will forgive him.

Physically Corran looks fine when he answers the door. If Tycho had been concerned about him drowning his sorrows in Corellian whiskey that clearly wasn't the case, but Corran still looks ill-at-ease. Tycho knows Corran well enough to tell, even though he doubts his distress would show to anyone who isn't an expert in reading body language.

Corran lets him in without argument, which says something about how serious this is. Tycho knows Corran hates having to admit to any weakness, to admit to needing anyone else but Tycho knows him too well to be turned away like just anyone.

Tycho sits on the bed as Corran paces the floor. He can wait as long as it takes.

"I killed another Rogue..." Corran says, the words seeming to burst out of him.

Tycho stays calm. He has information here that Corran doesn't. "Sensor data says he diverted all shields to rear," he says. "Tal'dira let you kill him."

Corran spins round to face him. "That doesn't make any sense."

Tycho shrugs. "I can't explain it either. It's hard to understand; he seemed fine this morning." He hasn't yet been able to make sense of what happened to his own satisfaction so he knows Corran's analytical mind must be working just as hard to come up with an explanation.

Corran shakes his head. "I knew something was up with him. There was a moment in the briefing when I knew something was wrong but I couldn't pin it down. I should've told someone, there must have been something we could've do to stop it."

He sounds angry but Tycho is familiar with this particular self-destructive pattern. He's been there plenty of times himself. Tycho grabs Corran's wrist on his next pass. "You saved Wedge's life," he insists.

Corran stops, shoulders slumping. "I should've been able to save _both_ of them."

"No, Corran, you can't do that to yourself." Corran ties to pull away but Tycho won't let him go. "Corran, you know better than that."

Corran sighs but drops onto the bed and Tycho draws his knee up as he turns to face him. He knows how deeply private Corran is but they've shared enough, Tycho hopes he can get through to him now. "I was afraid," Tycho begins. He'd reacted on instinct, they'd been ambushed enough times, but he'd had to fight to keep his emotions under control.

That gets Corran's attention and now he reaches out to Tycho, laying a supportive hand on his ankle, letting him talk.

"I couldn't be sure that he wouldn't just kill me to get to Wedge," Tycho continues. It's a relief to say it aloud; every time he gets behind the yoke of an X-wing he knows he could die but usually he's too busy focusing on the enemy to think about it in the moment. But knowing someone who he'd considered an ally, maybe even a friend, had their weapons trained on him, as well as seeing how close Tal'dira had come to taking out Wedge if it hadn't been for Corran's warning, had shaken him.

Corran's expression tightens and then he lets out a deep breath. "I didn't have time to think when I told Wedge to break off, I just know something bad was about to happen. When I realised… I was scared I wasn't going to be quick enough. That I hadn't been able to give Wedge enough warning. And then when he switched to shooting at you…"

Tycho hadn't been thinking about himself at that point. He hadn't let himself focus on the moment when Tal'dira's lasers had stuttered across his bow. A proton torpedo could just have easily taken him out and he shudders at the thought of how close a call he'd had.

His breathing catches and Corran reaches for him. Tycho turns fully, letting Corran wrap his arms around him and holding him tight in return. They sit like that for several long minutes. Corran doesn't say anything but when he pulls away there are tears on his face and Tycho isn't faring much better.

"It wasn't your fault," Tycho reassures him.

Corran nods but Tycho knows he wouldn't be ready to believe it if their positions were reversed. Tycho had had the easy part of the task—all he'd had to do was keep close enough to Wedge to prevent Tal'dira getting a missile lock. Corran had had the harder job, of having to kill a compromised friend, working off his half-trained Jedi instincts. 

They didn't know why Tal'dira had turned against them, whether he'd been turned, blackmailed, bribed. Lusankya might have been a rumor to most but the two of them knew exactly how hard Isard had worked to try and break them. Tycho couldn't hold it against anyone who'd broken in the face of such duress and the thought that their squadmate might've gone through something like that without them realising was painful. Tycho knew Corran felt the same; they'd spoken before about Diric Wessiri and Corran's grief and guilt at not being quick enough to save him. 

Tycho pulls Corran down to lay on the bed beside him. They always turn to each other at times like this, Mirax and Winter understanding how their shared ordeal connects them. Both of them need the reassurance; Corran needs the physical contact to get out of his own head and Tycho could do with not having to be alone right now.

Tycho kisses Corran's cheek gently, rubbing a hand down his side. Corran's lips meet his, softly at first, then with increasing passion. Their bodies come together as they find comfort and release in each other's arms. 

They can handle tomorrow when it comes but for now they find a moment's peace.


End file.
